Walls
by Orangest Blossom
Summary: Jade West was never one to show her feelings.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**  
><strong>In The End, Linkin Park; Bring Me to Life, Evanescence; Last Hope, Paramore; XO, Fall Out Boy; Famous Last Words, My Chemical Romance; andor Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day**.

{The first wall  
>Keeps most people away.}<p>

It extends about three feet around her  
>In every direction<br>Blocking off most people from seein g  
>(It's the best secret-keeper ever.)<p>

Jade got it for her eleventh birthday  
>When her parents split<br>It's made of stainless steel and barbed wire...

It could take forever to break  
>Or it could take two seconds.<p>

And it wasn't luck of the draw.

Robbie Shapiro  
>Envied the wall.<br>He needed protection.  
>He was getting enough trouble<br>For his awkwardness and afro  
>And adding Rex to the mix<br>Didn't exactly help.

He saw Jade one day  
>At her locker, which was right next to his<br>(Though out of fear, he made a point  
>Of never getting out his books<br>At the same time as her.)  
>Suddenly, he felt a sort of uneasiness<br>Because what self-respecting guy  
>Is jealous of a girl's toughness?<br>(He didn't know much about people,  
>But he was pretty sure<br>That wasn't how things should work.)  
>And the needneedNEED<br>For a barrier, for a safe haven  
>{a friend}<br>Was suddenly overwhelming.

He circled the steel wall  
>Frowning, looking for a crack<br>That he could squeeze his skinny frame through  
>(Quiet, quiet)<br>Jade still saw him.  
>"The hell are you doing, Shapiro?"<br>The words were sharp  
>And sliced Robbie's pale skin<br>Even though he tried to dodge them  
>(Still he was determined not to run.)<br>"I'm just- j-"

"What?"  
>It was a snarl.<br>Robbie tried again.  
>"Just-"<p>

Rex cut in.  
>"Hunting for swordfish.<br>Geez, waddaya think?"  
>Jade raised an eyebrow.<br>Shoot.  
>Why did he have to do that?<br>Robbie held his breath.  
>(WhatWasHeThinkingHe'sDeadDeadDead-)<p>

Two cracks:  
>Jade cracking a smile<br>And a crack in the wall.  
>Robbie slipped inside<br>And that was that.

He wasn't the first.

He had gotten his barrier, his safe haven, his-  
>["Don't you dare call me your friend, Shapiro."]<br>Still.  
>He didn't want to push his luck<br>He hadn't gotten so close to anyone  
>(Because everyone has walls, see,<br>Most are just invisible.)  
>And you know what?<br>He'd done well.  
>And he'd passed through one<br>Of the Infamous Jade West's.  
>The problem is,<br>Inside that wall  
>There were more.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Andre Harris  
>Tripped over Jade's second wall on accident.<p>

He'd been dragged through the first by Robbie.  
>He hadn't planned on going any farther, either<br>Why would he need to?  
>He had his protection, just like Robbie.<br>And the brick enclosure  
>That separated him from Jade<br>(In addition to who knows how many more barriers?)  
>Was just too high.<p>

But one day  
>Things changed.<p>

He was coming out of the music room  
>And Jade was there, standing at the door<br>Waiting to go inside.

"Hey," Andre nodded absently.

Jade rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

Shrugging, Andre walked to his locker  
>Before noticing he'd forgotten his music for<br>"Show Me the Way"  
>Which was something he was writing.<p>

He went back into the room.  
>He didn't knock, but he did open the door<br>(Quiet, quiet)  
>Because Jade West's voice<br>Was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

(Chills ran u p - h i s - s/p/i/n/e...)

He stood there for at least two minutes  
>Trying to memorize the sound<br>Until Jade West spun around after an aria  
>And immediately told him to leave.<p>

He didn't waver.  
>"That was really good."<p>

Jade rolled her eyes.  
>"Obviously. Now leave."<p>

The fact that  
>She didn't brush off the compliment<br>Like the doe-eyed girls  
>That giggled and sighed<br>And denied their talent  
>Was- not exactly "hot" or whatever<br>But it had its attractive qualities.

Andre pushed on.  
>"I'd like you to record a song I'm working on."<br>The words slipped out  
>Before he could stop them.<p>

Jade raised an eyebrow  
>Usually a danger sign<br>But Andre wasn't about to back down, because-  
>Well, it was true.<p>

"It's called Show Me the Way?  
>And-<br>I really need a strong mezzo  
>To do the main vocals...<br>And if you know any girls that can do backup  
>Let me know.<br>Here's the music, think it over."

Andre picked up the sheets  
>From where he'd left them on the chair<br>Jade shrugged and took the papers.

And the tough bricks  
>Of her second wall<br>Didn't crumble,  
>But suddenly didn't seem<br>Like that tall of a fortress...  
>And Andre was on the way of climbing it.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Cat Valentine  
>Sort of floated through the school<br>Happy, happy, happy  
>-all the time-<br>It was fun  
>But also kinda tiring<br>Because, lately?  
>People seemed to treat her different<br>(Like a small kid- like really little,  
>Or a pet.)<br>What she decided she needed  
>Was a best, best, bestest friend<br>Who wouldn't judge  
>Or laugh at her<br>Or make fun.  
>Something that sort of screams,<br>"I'm normal!"  
>That was when she happened upon Jade West<br>Who always sat alone  
>And who made scathing remarks<br>To those she didn't like.

It was a really good choice  
>Because in her opinion<br>No airhead could get to Jade.  
>Therefore Cat wasn't an airhead.<br>See?

The first walls were easy enough to brush through  
>But since Cat needed a best, best, bestest friend<br>She needed to get closer.

It was odd- Cat,  
>Who slipped through steel and bricks like it was nothing,<br>Was scared by the broken wooden exterior  
>Of the third wall<br>That protected Jade West.  
>It reminded her of a haunted house<br>She'd been to in the seventh grade  
>With her old friends<br>From Ridgebury Hills Junior High  
>(Who, incidentally,<br>Abandoned her a month later  
>Because she was too "babyish"<br>Or "immature"  
>Or something.)<br>It was obviously not a real haunted house  
>The special effects were bad enough<br>To make her laugh, not scream.  
>But when she'd walked up to it<br>It was dark  
>And broken<br>And very scary-looking.

Cat lingered for a moment,  
>Absently poking the nails<br>That stuck out sharply  
>Until Jade slapped her hand away irritably, saying<br>"You'll break it."

Cat shrugged and giggled  
>Then, peeking through a hole<br>In the dilapidated wood,  
>Asked Jade softly,<br>"Can I come in?"

A pause, then-  
>Jade shrugged.<br>"Don't care."

Coming from Jade,  
>This was an invitation.<p>

Cat smiled  
>Glad to finally find a friend<br>(A true friend)  
>And stepped through carefully.<br>But when she saw what was on the other side  
>She gasped<br>And stumbled backwards, her back hitting the wall.  
>Because no matter what<br>She would never be able to cross through the final barrier.  
>Ever.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Beck Oliver  
>Was determined to reach the center.<p>

It was his thing-  
>To exceed all expectations,<br>To reach all final goals.  
>He was doing it for Jade, of course-<br>He was pretty sure he liked her, a lot-  
>But he couldn't deny<br>That he was doing it for him too.

That's just what Beck did:  
>Whatever no one else could.<br>It was his job-  
>In school...<br>At parties...  
>In plays...<br>In life...  
>(Tell me,<br>Do you feel  
>The pressure now?)<p>

And, seeing as no one else  
>Could get to Jade<br>He decided he would.

Oh, he'd heard stories, of course  
>From the first people who passed through.<p>

Robbie had mentioned that he didn't see a point  
>Of getting to know Jade too well.<br>He said it a stumbling voice,  
>Then quickly corrected himself-<br>"What I meant is-  
>She'll just kick me out, and-<br>What's the point in losing a friend, you know?  
>I mean, not that we're really close..."<br>He'd quickly lost  
>What he'd meant to say<br>(But it's not like Beck was listening too well.)

"Well, maybe I'd like to know her better..."  
>Andre frowned, apparently thinking.<br>Beck shifted his weight.  
>"She sort of scares me, though.<br>I mean, is all that protection really necessary?  
>What's coming for her?<br>If anything is, I don't want to get mixed up in that...  
>I think she could take care of herself."<br>Beck nodded  
>A voice in his brain whispered to Andre<br>"You're so wrong"  
>Beck had no idea<br>What it was talking about.

"Jadey! Oh my gosh!"  
>Cat started bouncing on her heels.<br>"I know she can look sort of scary,  
>But she is soooo nice once you get to know her!<p>

Well, not _nice _nice, but...  
>She's really good at helping with homework<br>And she taught me how to dye my hair without staining anything!  
>Just don't ask about her dad,<br>Or how old her brother is...  
>Or how her mom's doing."<br>Her bouncing slowed for a moment.  
>She frowned thoughtfully.<br>"Anything about her family, really...  
>She says she doesn't want to talk about them...<br>She says she doesn't care,  
>But really? I think<br>She doesn't know."  
>Cat sighed<br>But a smile spread slowly back on her face  
>(She was never good at being upset.)<br>"Wanna know how many jelly beans fit in an ice cube tray?"

If you asked Beck today how he did it,  
>He would say he didn't know.<br>Everything way_ blurry&__bizarre_

He could remember three things  
>And only three.<p>

1.)

The people.  
>Robbie was sitting on a little part of the wall that jutted out<br>He waved as Beck passed,  
>Absently telling him to<br>"Say hi to Jade."

Andre was playing his piano,  
>Smiling.<br>He greeted Beck  
>With the usual handshake<br>And chortled of  
>"Hey, man."<br>When Beck asked what was up,  
>He grinned and said,<br>"Nothing much. Listen-  
>You going to keep going?"<br>Beck nodded.  
>Andre did too.<br>"Try not to step on any-  
>Well,<br>Be careful.  
>Cat'll tell you.<br>I've never seen it myself.  
>The last one, I mean."<br>And with that  
>He pointed Beck through the wooden barrier.<p>

Cat was skipping in a circle,  
>Singing some nursery rhyme to herself.<br>But the next thing Beck noticed was the final wall.

2.)

He remembered what it looked like.  
>It wasn't metal, or stone, or earth.<br>It was glass.  
>Through it Beck could see everything-<br>All of Jade's hopes, dreams, failures, scars...

Jade was broken.

Beck understood the appeal of staying  
>Behind the last wall.<br>You get to be with Jade,  
>To know her well-<br>But she can't lash out at you  
>You can't be directly involved.<br>And, he realized,  
>You can't hurt her.<br>(And that was sort of the point, wasn't it?)

3.

The last thing that Beck kept with him  
>Was what Cat said.<p>

"You're going to break it, aren't you?"  
>She didn't seem too much like a child anymore<br>She seemed like a million years old.

"I have to," Beck said.  
>He cleared his throat.<br>"I mean, there isn't a door."

Cat's eyes shown.  
>"No, there isn't a door ..."<br>She spoke slowly.  
>"But still,<br>You don't have to break it."  
>Her message was clear.<br>There's still time to leave.

She knew he was going to anyway, didn't she?

"Try not to step on any broken glass."  
>Cat moved back.<p>

Suddenly, Beck's mind flew back to a class he'd had  
>What seemed like hundreds of years ago.<br>(Or was it yesterday?)

"Breaking the fourth wall-  
>When an actor or actress communicates directly with the audience, or makes an implication that they are aware of the viewers' presence."<p>

That's helpful, Beck scoffed at himself.

"Best to do it quick," Cat whispered.

Beck swallowed.  
>Nodded.<br>And.  
>Stepped.<br>Forward.

For a moment  
>He thought it'd be tough to break<br>He thought the glass was a trick  
>To lure you into thinking you were done with boundaries<br>(He'd overestimated Jade's strength.)  
>He tapped the glass just once with his index finger...<br>and  
>it<br>_shattered_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey! Gosh, this was long, wasn't it? As my first multi-chapter, I think it's obligatory for me to encourage you to drop a line, so... Leave a review! I love seeing them :) And special thanks to everyone who reviewed already and to everyone who followedfaved this fic! You guys mean the world to me!**


End file.
